Westpac Banking Corp’s new venture capital fund has taken an equity stake in Sydney-based peer-to-peer lender ­SocietyOne, in a deal that reflects the coming of age of online lending in Australia and the desire of the major banks to get closer to disruptive start-ups.

In September 2013, over 200 bank executives and directors responded to the 2014 Bank M&A Survey, which was conducted by email. Independent board members account for 46 percent of the responses, and 38 percent of participants serve as the chief executive officer of the bank.

The New York Times’ description of Singapore as “Asia’s answer to Geneva and Zurich” fits the bill. And just like those Swiss cities, Singapore is a nice place to live. It’s a modern city, and it’s the most livable city in Asia, according to financial consultant Mercer’s Quality of Living Survey.

One of the most important Buffett shibboleths is acknowledging that you won't be able to predict the market. If you take his advice on index funds and stay the course, "the only way an investor can get killed is by high fees or by trying to outsmart the market," he said in 2008.